Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, which cookies sheerME uses, and how you can control them. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.
Contents
1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work, work more efficiently, or to provide information to the website owner.
Similar technologies — including local storage, session storage, and pixels — work in comparable ways and are covered by this policy alongside cookies.
2. How We Use Cookies
sheerME uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- Keep you logged in during your session.
- Remember your preferences (e.g. language, location).
- Show you salons and treatments relevant to you.
- Understand how visitors use our platform so we can improve it.
- Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.
- Detect and prevent fraud.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential to the operation of the sheerME platform. Without them, core features — such as logging in, booking appointments, or accessing your wallet — would not function. They do not require your consent under ePrivacy rules.
3.2 Functional Cookies
Functional cookies remember choices you make (such as your preferred location or notification settings) to provide a more personalised experience. They are not strictly necessary but enhance usability.
3.3 Analytics Cookies
We use analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our platform — which pages are most visited, where users drop off, and how long sessions last. This data is anonymised or pseudonymised and used solely to improve the platform. Analytics cookies require your consent.
3.4 Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies track your activity across websites to serve you relevant advertising about sheerME on third-party platforms (e.g. Instagram, Google). We only deploy marketing cookies with your explicit consent.
4. Cookie List
The following table lists the cookies currently in use on the sheerME platform:
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| sm_session | Maintains your logged-in session. Required for booking and wallet access. | Session | |
| sm_cookie | Stores your cookie consent preference (accepted/declined). | 1 year | |
| sm_csrf | Cross-site request forgery protection token. | Session | |
| sm_locale | Remembers your preferred language and region settings. | 1 year | |
| sm_location | Remembers your preferred city for salon search results. | 30 days | |
| _ga | Google Analytics: distinguishes unique visitors. Data is anonymised. | 2 years | |
| _gid | Google Analytics: distinguishes users within 24-hour period. | 24 hours | |
| _fbp | Meta (Facebook) Pixel: tracks conversions for advertising optimisation. | 90 days |
This list may be updated as we add or remove cookies. The date at the top of this page reflects the latest revision.
5. Third-Party Cookies
Some cookies on the sheerME platform are set by third-party services we use. These include:
- Google Analytics (Alphabet Inc.) — web analytics. Google Privacy Policy.
- Meta Pixel (Meta Platforms Inc.) — advertising measurement. Meta Privacy Policy.
- Payment processors — may set session cookies during checkout flows to maintain secure connections.
sheerME does not control third-party cookies and recommends reviewing the privacy policies of those providers directly. We only activate third-party marketing and analytics cookies after you have given consent.
6. Your Cookie Choices
You have several options for managing cookies:
6.1 Cookie Banner
When you first visit sheerME, a cookie banner gives you the option to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser storage and revisiting the site.
6.2 Browser Settings
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can:
- Block all cookies.
- Delete existing cookies.
- Set your browser to alert you when a cookie is placed.
Note that blocking strictly necessary cookies will prevent the sheerME platform from functioning correctly. Visit your browser’s help page for instructions:
6.3 Opt-Out of Analytics
You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
6.4 Opt-Out of Ad Targeting
You can manage interest-based advertising preferences through the Your Online Choices platform (EU) or directly through your Meta account settings.
7. Cookie Consent and GDPR
Under the EU ePrivacy Directive and GDPR, we are required to obtain your prior consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device. Our cookie banner provides a clear, affirmative consent mechanism. Strictly necessary cookies are exempt from this requirement as they are essential for the service you have requested.
Your consent is specific (by category), informed (you know what each type of cookie does), freely given (you can decline without losing access to the core service), and easily withdrawable.
For questions about how we process personal data via cookies, see our Privacy Policy or contact us at [email protected].
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when we add new cookies, change how we use existing ones, or in response to changes in law. Material changes will be indicated by an updated “Last updated” date at the top of this page, and we may notify you via the cookie banner or email.
9. Contact
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Post: sheerME, Rua de Santa Catarina 1234, 4000-447 Porto, Portugal